Tuesday was a day to remember as nine fallen officers from the Athens and Limestone County area were recognized at the annual Law Enforcement Memorial at the Athens Police Department.

From the Athens

Police Department

— Bedford F. Brackeen, March 24, 1941.

— Billy Daly, Dec. 22, 1964.

— Lt. Benton McLemore, March 7, 1969.

— Dewey Wayne Dorsey Sr., Feb. 11, 1989.

— Tony Mims, Jan. 2, 2004.

— Sgt. Larry Wayne Russell, Jan. 2, 2004.

From the Limestone

County Sheriff’s

Department

— Chief Deputy James Henry Eubank, June 13, 1918.

From the Alabama

Highway Patrol Department/

State Troopers

— David E. Temple, Sept. 13, 1979.

— Simmie L. Jeffries, Dec. 21, 1984.

The memorial was held in concurrence with the country’s National Police Week, which was established by Congress in 1962 to pay tribute to all of the officers who have sacrificed their lives in service of their communities.

“Officers do good things everyday, and a lot of times you don’t see or hear that make national headlines,” Anthony Pressnell, Athens police chief, said. “Having something like this week nationally, and then this ceremony locally, gives us ways to honor our officers for all the good they do.”

Pressnell spoke at the memorial, introducing various speakers and talking about the risk officers take to do their job for the people in their communities. One of the speakers was Mayor Ronnie Marks, who talked about the importance of appreciating law enforcement officers.

“Everyday when they wake up, their top priority is to keep their community and us safe,” Marks said. “We can’t afford to not appreciate these first responders, and particularly the ones who lost their lives, because without them we would not be as safe as we are.”

When the names of the fallen law enforcement officers were read at the ceremony, emotions in the room were particularly evident for Sgt. Larry Wayne Russell and Tony Mims — who both died in an ambush shooting on Jan. 2, 2004.

Capt. Marty Bruce was one of the first officers on the scene at the shooting in 2004, and talked to the News Courier about how impactful that day was on his life.

“That day changed my life, and it’s had a lifelong impact on me,” Bruce said. “You never realize just how fragile life is until people that you are talking to just five minutes before are killed.”

Pressnell also talked about his familiarity with some of the fallen officers, and the immense influence their life and memory has had on his career.

“Dewey Dorsey was one of the first police officers I’ve ever rode with, I’ve been to his house and I knew his wife, so he was a really good friend of mine,” Pressnell said. “I was Sgt. Russell’s supervisor on night shift, and me and officer Mims worked the same shift together. All these people have played a huge part role in my development as a police officer and I’ll never forget them for that.”